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Radish Growing


Mondy

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Posted
  • Location: Larbert
  • Location: Larbert

Intend to grow my own veg this year. Radish are my fav.

Bought a packet of seeds earlier..(never grown from seed before), so after reading the instructions on the packet, i just wait and see? Or is there a specific way of nuturing these beauties?

All tips on growing veg from seed greatly received. Really want to get into it this year.

Any green-fingered garden veg enthuasists out there who'd like to input their thoughts? :lol:

Edited by Mondy the clumsy
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Posted
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District. 290 mts a.s.l.
  • Weather Preferences: Anything extreme
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District. 290 mts a.s.l.
Intend to grow my own veg this year. Radish are my fav.

Bought a packet of seeds earlier..(never grown from seed before), so after reading the instructions on the packet, i just wait and see? Or is there a specific way of nuturing these beauties?

All tips on growing veg from seed greatly received. Really want to get into it this year.

Any green-fingered garden veg enthuasists out there who'd like to input their thoughts? :(

Radish are about the easiest veg' to grow, Mondy. Virutally every seed will germinate in any reasonably fertile soil.

The main points are; don't sow the whole packet at once. If you do you'll find you have more radishes than you can eat at one go, all maturing at the same time and becoming inedible before you can eat them.

Sow a short row, a couple of feet long, and scatter the seeds thinly. If you sow too thickly the radishes will crowd each other and you'll either have to thin them out, or they won't develop properly.

Sow a new row every 10 days or so, that way you'll keep a continuous supply going.

Radishes are handy for sowing between the rows of other crops such as Carrots, Parsnips etc. Doing that saves on space and, as the radishes mature quickly, they don't interfere with the later crop.

Sow the seeds about a quarter to a half inch deep and cover them over, in average temperatures at this time of year they should be up within a week.

Enjoy.

T.M

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Posted
  • Location: Mytholmroyd, West Yorks.......
  • Weather Preferences: Hot & Sunny, Cold & Snowy
  • Location: Mytholmroyd, West Yorks.......

Don't leave them in the ground too long as they'll turn 'woody' (which aint nice) I would agree about how easy (and quick ) they are!! If you like peas they're also a synch (and magic fresh from the pod raw) :(

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Posted
  • Location: 235m asl Near Ashbourne, Derbyshire
  • Location: 235m asl Near Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Don't leave them in the ground too long as they'll turn 'woody' (which aint nice) I would agree about how easy (and quick ) they are!! If you like peas they're also a synch (and magic fresh from the pod raw) :(

sorry about that - the system is not formatting properly on my screen so bear with me if this does not format properly.

The soil in my garden is still really cold and wet so I am going to have a bash at radishes grown in a 12 inch pot. I treid this last year but they were destroyed by some kind of fly.

This year I am going to dust the soil surface with SYBOL Soil Pest killer - not really organic approach I know, but I really want to eat the radishes not the fly grubs!!

Edited by GrimReaper
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Posted
  • Location: Larbert
  • Location: Larbert
The main points are; don't sow the whole packet at once
:):(

Ok, thanks for the input on everything else..better go and buy another packet then :)

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Posted
  • Location: Rochford, Essex
  • Location: Rochford, Essex

Hi Mondy,

Must agree with the others, the humble radish must be the easiest veg to grow. I have also taken veg growing on in a really big way this year. I have taken an allotment and I have tatties and onions in at the moment with lots of others waiting in the wings. My conservatory looks like kew gardens at the moment with tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, sweetcorn, butternut squash and masses of herbs all under way.

Herbs are always worth a try, chuck some in whatever you are cooking and everyone thinks you have suddenly learnt how to cook!! You can buy the potted herbs in the supermarket and plant them out. Most people say that they will not grow on too well because they have very small roots as they are grown very quickly to supply the supermarket trade, but I had great success with them last year. But they also seem to come up great from seed.

You could also try growing some salad veg such as spring onions and various salad leaves in pots or small bed in the garden. These are also really easy to grow and couple of packets of seed will keep you growing throughout the summer.

Make sure you follow TM's advise though, sow little and often and you will end up with a fantastic supply all summer.

Give me a shout if I can help you out at all.

Paul

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Posted
  • Location: Larbert
  • Location: Larbert

Thanks for all the advice - most helpful. Total novice here.

Thought i'd experiment with radish first of all and then hopefully progress to something more exotic!

Don't have a lot of room in the garden, so most of the growing will be done in tubs and then repotted if poss. Will keep you posted on radish experiment.

*they got frost 2 tonights ago :) They're planted about 0.5 inch down, so hopefully they're ok :)

Cheers :(

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Posted
  • Location: 235m asl Near Ashbourne, Derbyshire
  • Location: 235m asl Near Ashbourne, Derbyshire

Hi

Agree with essexpaul about the herbs.

I bought some last year and grew them on light soil in large pots on a sunny patio. Kept the heaviest rain off them and they grew really well.

Most have survived overwintering with light protection and are now starting to grow again.

Seems to me its all about the soil and growing conditions even if they were forced for the supermarket customer.

Bit of TLC and you can still get a decent herb plant.

Edited by GrimReaper
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Posted
  • Location: Bristol, England
  • Location: Bristol, England

One thing I'm totally useless at, is keeping supermarket bought fresh basil leaves from drying out within a few days.

In fact, I'm lucky if these herbs aren't looking 'tired' by the end of the day!

Has anyone got any suggestions apart from keeping them regularly watered, beacuse I do try to do this with no avail.

Edited by Thundersquall
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Posted
  • Location: Brixton, South London
  • Location: Brixton, South London
One thing I'm totally useless at, is keeping supermarket bought fresh basil leaves from drying out within a few days.

In fact, I'm lucky if these herbs aren't looking 'tired' by the end of the day!

Has anyone got any suggestions apart from keeping them regularly watered, beacuse I do try to do this with no avail.

Sorry but buying a packet of leaves only makes sense if you intend to use then that day (or at a pinch the next day). Keep cool in the salad drawer in the 'fridge.

Better alternatives: 1. Buy a supermarket basil plant and keep on a sunny windowsill, keep moist but do not waterlog. You will be able to pick for a good week or more.

2. Better still transplant the basil plant into a slightly bigger pot filled with a general purpose potting compost and keep moist. Feed once a week with a little dilute tomatorite: do not over feed; better still but some slow release fertiliser pellets from a garden centre and place one in the pot every 6-8 weeks thus ensuring a steady release of nutrients. Keep in a warm sunny place and place outside after 2 weeks in a warm sheltered part of your garden during the day taking back inside in the evening. Then (depending on local conditions) keep outside when all risk of frost/ground frost has passed. I grow basil outside from mid/late May harvesting the last leaves from mid October to early November but then I am in inner London and benefit from locally warm nights.

As to other herb plants: they are best planted in pots which will create warmer growing conditions. Mint can easily be grown in open ground but it is incredibly invasive and for that reason alone should always be grown in a pot. Mint will die back in winter vut needs little protection. Water mint well in summer.

Rosemary/Thyme are natives of dry stony mediterannean hillsides and need a gritty well drained soil and after the first month or so minimal watering. No protection neede in winter. Each spring fork a little bonemeal into the soil otherwise leave alone.

Flat leaf parsley is a b.gger to germinate so buy plants not seed. It needs a oist rich soil and careful watering. Pick any stems that show signs of flowering as this will stop leaf production. Generally you will need to replace a plant after 2 years. Needs some protection from frost in winter. Feed with slow release pellets.

Tarragon (French for cooking not the flavourless Russian) needs protection from all frost/ground frost and is not very happy at temperatures under 5c so take inside or cover up with horticultural fleece or bracken in winter. Needs a fairly rich soil and careful watering. Looked after it will come up for several years. Feed with slow release pellets.

Fianlly have a go with rocket: the easiest thing to germinate and fairly frost hardy (I sowed some in early November in a pot outside with no preotection andit is growing well now!). Needs a well frained soil but also warmth got rapid growth and water. Do not sow the whole packet as all the seeds will come up so staggger sowings to ensure a continous crop from late spring to October. Thin out (you can eat the thinnings) and then pick off leaves or take up whole plants as required.

Regards

ACB

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  • 1 month later...
Posted
  • Location: Worcestershire
  • Weather Preferences: Forecaster Centaurea Weather
  • Location: Worcestershire
One thing I'm totally useless at, is keeping supermarket bought fresh basil leaves from drying out within a few days.

In fact, I'm lucky if these herbs aren't looking 'tired' by the end of the day!

Has anyone got any suggestions apart from keeping them regularly watered, beacuse I do try to do this with no avail.

I love growing basil, it's one the most flavoursome herbs and pefect in a mixed leaf salad. Rather than buy it, the best is always home grown and basil can be grown with the aid of a greenhouse or windowsill.

I grow a large leaved variety called Neapolitan. It has a wonderful basil 'hit' followed by a sweeter almost aniseed follow-up. It's best grown (like all basils) in a terracota pot March - September in a sunny aspect on its own or as a companion to tomatoes. Plant more than you need and pick often - you can make some excellent pesto which you can freeze or use as an alternative to passata on pizza bases.

GP

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Posted
  • Location: Rochford, Essex
  • Location: Rochford, Essex

Hi Mondy,

How is the great horticulture experiment coming on, did you get anything planted? I would have thought you would have some small radishes by now.

Paul

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Posted
  • Location: Douglas, Isle of Man
  • Location: Douglas, Isle of Man

Go for it Mondy ! - but not all at once as has been said, you can't eat 4500 radishes all at one go !

I have some early spuds in big pots and some in the ground in the greenhouse, nearly in flower, and when they are dug the toms which are in pots just now will be put in the ground. I have a tray of lettuce seedlings to prick out into somewhere more roomy, but maybe into bigger trays if I can't find anywhere more suitable.

Still have some hanging baskets getting established in the g/h, the ones I put out so far have been robbed of the liner material for nest building and will need repairing or are getting blown to pieces in the wind !.

One thing I have got sorted this year is watering, an automatic timer on the tap and plastic tubing with drippers to the plants, and an automatic opener on the roof vent, it all looks after itself if I am lazy, forgetful or away :whistling:

post-2911-1147965750_thumb.jpg

Edited by Verglas
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Posted
  • Location: Brixton, South London
  • Location: Brixton, South London
I love growing basil, it's one the most flavoursome herbs and pefect in a mixed leaf salad. Rather than buy it, the best is always home grown and basil can be grown with the aid of a greenhouse or windowsill.

I grow a large leaved variety called Neapolitan. It has a wonderful basil 'hit' followed by a sweeter almost aniseed follow-up. It's best grown (like all basils) in a terracota pot March - September in a sunny aspect on its own or as a companion to tomatoes. Plant more than you need and pick often - you can make some excellent pesto which you can freeze or use as an alternative to passata on pizza bases.

GP

Good point GP tr Pesto: see post #70 dated 4.12.05 in Cooking With Attitude for a recipe.

Regards

ACB

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Posted
  • Location: Larbert
  • Location: Larbert
Hi Mondy,

How is the great horticulture experiment coming on, did you get anything planted? I would have thought you would have some small radishes by now.

Paul

Hi mate, forgot about this ;) due to the dog digging up every single baby radish :lol:

They were looking great - couldn't believe how quickly they took.

Now growing, Basil, Coriander, French Marigolds, Gerbera and some weird flower that is not happy :lol:

Edited by Mondy the clumsy
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Posted
  • Location: Llandysul, Ceredigion, Wales
  • Location: Llandysul, Ceredigion, Wales

1/6 Broad bean plants unfavoured by slugs so far here. Heard a story of someone else suffering bad slug problems too. It doesn't look like improving much either at the moment.

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